Football in South America: Tips on how to celebrate like a true South American fan during the World Cup

The Russia 2018 World Cup will experience as much, and maybe even more euphoria, in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, and Peru than it will in Moscow. Although Argentine, Brazilian, Peruvian and Colombian fans are found amongst the top 10 countries that requested the most tickets for the World Cup, the majority of South American fans will be located in this part of the world, glued to their tv sets to cheer on their teams. If, during the next month you choose to visit some of these countries of our continent, be sure to keep these cultural tips in mind so that you can truly experience Football in South America like a local.

Fuente: Giphy

Brazil: Eu sou brasileiro, com muito orgulho, com muito amor

Brazil is the reference point for football not only in South America, but also for the entire world: it has won more cups than any other team (5 in total), and is the only team that has qualified for every single world championship. The most valued player on Brazil’s team is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, more widely known as Pelé, who is recognized by FIFA as the best player of the 20th century.

The pride that Brazilians feel for their team is as vast as their territorial expanse, and fans everywhere are compelled to support their team wearing the infamous canarinha, which is the name for their distinguishing yellow and green shirts.

During your time in Brazil this month, join the party of the jogo bonito and become one of the fans. So how do Brazilians celebrate? They meet in houses or at a place in the office where they watch the game, prepare food and drinks, all of which always includes music. They wear yellow garments, sing the national anthem as if they were in the stadium, and then chime into the classic “I’m Brazilian, very proud, with lots of love”, which was written 65 years ago.

Click the link below to hear the song and practice along:

Uruguay: The first world champion and the unforgettable match of the Maracanazo

The Uruguayan team was the first to win a World Cup (1930), the first American Championship, and is one of the three teams with the most official titles -19 in total- recognized by FIFA. Despite these exceptional achievements, for Uruguayan supports, the most important event in the team’s history has been the famous Maracanazo: the incredible victory against Brazil in Río de Janeiro in 1950.

Just like Brazilians, Uruguayans celebrate together with friends and family and watch the games from start to finish. Along with churros and fried cakes to eat, there will be mate, and each person will be wearing the blue jersey of the national team, along with painted faces in the colors of the flag. It is also very common to celebrate in bars within the city, where the owners set up televisions streaming the games for customers to enjoy.

If you are in a Uruguayan city until half time, we recommend that you learn a couple parts of a song from The Party Band which begins by saying, “I did not ask to be born here, I was only lucky, and the feeling has grown: I am celeste until death.”

Argentina = Maradona and Messi

9 out of 10 Argentines consider themselves to be fans of a soccer team. But as you travel throughout the cities of this beautiful country, you will notice that 10 out of 10 exemplify the national team with all of the passion that characterizes them. Like Brazil and Uruguay, Argentina boasts of having world-class players like Diego Armando Maradona and Lionel Messi. Argentina has won 2 world cups, and is a member of one of the three teams that has the most official titles history (19 in total).

The celebration in Argentina is typically spent amongst family, where a house is selected for watching the game, and that place is usually designated as the main venue during the entire month of the World Cup. In addition to wearing the blue and white shirts, the national flag is always present. Argentine fans are superstitious, and during free throws or penalty charges they cross their fingers and sometimes slip out a couple of bad words to release their emotions.

Argentina also has the most popular chants at the World Cup. In 2014, the famous “Brazil, how does it feel” was heard in surprising places, and this year the song “I love you Argentina” seeks to replicate the same popularity. The lyrics say, “I’m grateful I was born in Argentina. Proud as players defend the colors. Nothing compares to Maradona and Messi. I love you Argentina, I would not change you for anything. I would not change you for anything.” From there, the rhythm of the song.

Colombia: With James Rodríguez to the rhythm of ras tas tas

After obtaining fifth place in World Cup Brazil 2014, Colombia made a very clear statement about the quality of their football and their player selections. The country has participated in six world cups (1962, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2014), along with this year’s 2018. Players on their team, like James Rodríguez and Radamel Falcao García, are internationally recognized for their expert skills.

In Colombia, the party hasn’t stopped since they were guaranteed a spot in Russia, and the country, along with eager families, have been busily preparing to see their team make their national team debut. The yellow shirts shine in every city, and if you’re traveling through Colombia during this time, we suggest you join the celebration. Another traditional activity that takes place before the start of matches is the “polla”, the Colombian term that refers to a bet: each person must bet on a score, and at the end, the person that has guessed the correct score wins all of the money.

At this time, take advantage of the excitement and buy a typical hat called “vueltiao”, which is adorned by the colors of the national tri-color flag (yellow, blue, and red), and learn the tricky choreography of the ras tas tas so that you’re best prepared to celebrate the goals of the Colombian national team.

Peru: The return of the “blanquirroja” after 36 years

Just like Colombia, Peru will attend its sixth World Cup this year. After 36 years of waiting, the blanquirroja returns and brings great joy the Peruvian fans, who arrive in Russia with a run of 15 games without knowing the defeat amongst competition in the past couple of months. With the help of Paolo Guerrero and Jefferson Farfán, the Peruvian team will aim for the impossible in Group C, composed of Denmark, France and Australia.

Peruvian fans typically celebrate with lots of music and fireworks, so get ready to see a wonderful sky show in any of the main cities. They also dance to the rhythm of the excitement, and carry the national flag with them at all times everywhere they go. The excitement of returning to the World Cup is so great that the National Stadium of Lima will open its doors for visitors to enjoy watching the national team on three giant screens. Admission is free on Saturday, June 16 at 11:00 a.m. (vs. Denmark), on Thursday, June 21 (vs. France), and on Tuesday, June 26 (vs. Australia).

Like the other teams in this article, Peru was not left behind, and we’ve added a link below to the official song for you to learn and root on your team:

Join the football party and take advantage of your days to have the best possible experiences in South America. Join Daytours4u on visiting the most dazzling tourist attractions in the continent, and discover the characteristics of local culture in each country.